THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NE S S hazardous thing to declare one’s self in favor of a spiritual ministry. You see then you will have to take issue with so many fads and follies.. You will have to run counter to so many theories and fancies. You will have to stand for the living truth in the midst o f . snake-like lies, and snake hiss and sting. And very often the church makes it harder still for the man to exercise this spiritual ministry, like a little man in this town who one day said, “ I am tired of hearing about heaven.” Well, he had better not be, because all he will ever hear of heaven unless he changes his ways will come through hearsay. | The danger of a spiritual ministry. If Jesus Christ had accepted the popular acclaim and proclaimed Himself to be the deliverer of Israel from the thrall-’ dom of Rome, they would have crowned Him King. And they slew Him because He would not do that thing. But there is one greater danger, and I go on to tell these preachers whenever I lecture to them of the dangers of an unspir- ,itual ministry, which is greater than the danger of a spiritual ministry, because it will damn you and damn your con gregation, too. And Jesus Christ was teaching those people it was not by Pharisaic form but by a regenerated heart and a reconstructed life alone could they do the will of God. And they were willing enough to adopt the creed so long as He said nothing about changing the conduct; they were will ing to paste texts of Scripture on the brow so long as they were not forced to work texts of Scripture out in the life. Therefore they went back and walked no more with Him. And as I stand here and see them in fancy go ing away, a few things come up in my heart. How small are the beginnings of alienation between the heart and God. What is it Tennyson says?— “ The little rift within the lute.
832 has got that weight hanging on him! And his wife thought she ought to he in society, poor little creature. And she got into society, and he got out of the ■church, and his spirituality de parted. And today he looks like an Egyptian mummy. For his very body is dried up in his eager hunt that en ables him to maintain his position in Society. The swing and pull of a had example! And then we are not only influenced, but we influence others. And I thought this evening I would venture to place before you this altruistic phil osophy, that you had better be good for the sake of the people you influence. A man came to me once and told me of a course of conduct he intended pur suing, and I said, “ That means your damnation, my friend.” And he said, “ If I choose to damn myself; is that anybody’s business but my own?” And it was given me to say in remonstrance then, “ I waive the question of your right to damn yourself, but I assert you have no right to damn your boy.” And there was enough manhood left in him to cause him to say, “ You are right. Pardon me. I shall not do it.” You influence somebody else. Ah! somebody holds the faith because you hold it. Somebody is strong because of your strength. Somebody’s serenity depends upon your poise. So take care how you are influenced, and be careful how you influence, and do not set a bad example. Taking Issue with the Fads. And then they had a third thing. They were disturbed and annoyed by the spirituality of our Lord’s preaching. They said, “ How can He give us His flesh to eat and His blood to drink? 'It is a hard saying. Who can bear it?” I am in the habit of saying to young preachers when I have the privilege to address them, these two things. I warn them of the danger of a spiritual min istry. DidJ mean that? Yes, the dan ger of a spiritual ministry! It is a
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